Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Part 1 has been on a victory lap all summer, smashing international anime records. The movie’s theatrical run has been a spectacle. It’s the kind of dominance that makes you wonder if anything could possibly slow it down. Well, something just might. Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc has arrived, revving its chainsaw right at Demon Slayer’s freshly polished throne.
After early screenings on October 22nd, the film pulled off something that even the biggest anime blockbusters rarely do — a perfect 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. And audiences are practically cheering in unison, giving it a sky-high 99%.
That kind of harmony between critics and fans doesn’t happen often, especially in the chaotic world of anime fandoms. But it’s happening here. Japanese moviegoers have been singing its praises since the film first dropped in Japan on September 19th, where it spent five straight weeks at number one. Now, the rest of the world seems to be equally sold.
Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc is only the second anime based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s work to achieve a perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating. The first was Look Back in 2024, a heartfelt and haunting short film that left critics speechless. Now, Fujimoto’s world of blood-soaked antiheroes is drawing the same level of acclaim, but on a much larger scale.
Meanwhile, Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle still holds an impressive 98% score, which is no small feat for a franchise that’s been dominating the anime scene for years. But the fact that Chainsaw Man is already circling that number with a smaller review pool (just 14 critics so far) has everyone watching closely. Will it hold? Or will it slide once the floodgates open?
Financially, things are looking strong, too. Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc has already hauled in around $70 million worldwide and could climb even higher after its release.
It’s wild to think that just a few years ago, anime was still seen as a niche corner of cinema. That changed in 2020 when Demon Slayer: Mugen Train shattered expectations and became Japan’s highest-grossing movie ever. Five years later, anime films are topping the charts.
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